According to this guy, he was at Murrayfield on Saturday and he noticed there was a sign up (i.e. a sign on a door for the purpose of finding the correct room) for an Edinburgh Investor Due Dilligence meeting in the hospitality suite. Perhaps the SRU have had some bites for their investment proposal?

Potentially they have a physical data room or are holding valuation meetings or similar?

I'd heard a rumour a wee while ago that the Skyscanner guy(s) were being heavily courted. Given the mega bucks they coined in they might be a good catch?

I heard that rumour too. At the time I thought it was more wishful thinking than anything else - I've never seen anything to add substance to the rumour. Given the number of extremely wealthy people in Edinburgh, I remain hopeful they'll find someone stupid committed enough to gift money to invest in Scottish club rugby.

It’s the extreme wealth bit that there isn’t as many out there as they will be looking at losing millions per year for shits and giggles. Be great if the Skyscanner dudes are daft enough to blow serious wedge on this.

Know Martin Gilbert had a look at a 3rd pro team and he ran away when he saw the numbers

According to this guy, he was at Murrayfield on Saturday and he noticed there was a sign up (i.e. a sign on a door for the purpose of finding the correct room) for an Edinburgh Investor Due Dilligence meeting in the hospitality suite. Perhaps the SRU have had some bites for their investment proposal?

Potentially they have a physical data room or are holding valuation meetings or similar?

I'd heard a rumour a wee while ago that the Skyscanner guy(s) were being heavily courted. Given the mega bucks they coined in they might be a good catch?

I heard that rumour too. At the time I thought it was more wishful thinking than anything else - I've never seen anything to add substance to the rumour. Given the number of extremely wealthy people in Edinburgh, I remain hopeful they'll find someone stupid committed enough to gift money to invest in Scottish club rugby.

It’s the extreme wealth bit that there isn’t as many out there as they will be looking at losing millions per year for shits and giggles. Be great if the Skyscanner dudes are daft enough to blow serious wedge on this.

Know Martin Gilbert had a look at a 3rd pro team and he ran away when he saw the numbers

Wasn't that pre BT investment? There's maybe more funds for SRU involvement in a 3rd team

Berghan for WelchGilchrist for ToolisBack row not decidedLaidlaw in for PriceHarris on bench but replacment undecided as Dunbar has injured himself a bitMaitland for McGuigan

I do genuinely think that we may regret it if we put Laidlaw back in.

Did Welsh do much wrong?

Other changes - ok, fair enough. Back row really needs a bruiser in there though.

I think that the continued discussion of Laidlaw coming back in, especially from Gregor, is likely to have contributed (at least in part) to the poor game Price had on Saturday. He was constantly forcing it, playing everything that was on (and often not on), looking for the miracle play. That to me is someone who feels under pressure to have an exceptional game, rather than someone who trusts his usual game is still good enough for a place in the side.

Berghan for WelchGilchrist for ToolisBack row not decidedLaidlaw in for PriceHarris on bench but replacment undecided as Dunbar has injured himself a bitMaitland for McGuigan

I do genuinely think that we may regret it if we put Laidlaw back in.

Did Welsh do much wrong?

Other changes - ok, fair enough. Back row really needs a bruiser in there though.

I think that the continued discussion of Laidlaw coming back in, especially from Gregor, is likely to have contributed (at least in part) to the poor game Price had on Saturday. He was constantly forcing it, playing everything that was on (and often not on), looking for the miracle play. That to me is someone who feels under pressure to have an exceptional game, rather than someone who trusts his usual game is still good enough for a place in the side.

Competition is good, but it can also cause issues.

Can't agree with this re Price. If thats all it takes for him to crumble where do we go from here? He was in the driving seat for the 9 shirt

Berghan for WelchGilchrist for ToolisBack row not decidedLaidlaw in for PriceHarris on bench but replacment undecided as Dunbar has injured himself a bitMaitland for McGuigan

I do genuinely think that we may regret it if we put Laidlaw back in.

Did Welsh do much wrong?

Other changes - ok, fair enough. Back row really needs a bruiser in there though.

I think that the continued discussion of Laidlaw coming back in, especially from Gregor, is likely to have contributed (at least in part) to the poor game Price had on Saturday. He was constantly forcing it, playing everything that was on (and often not on), looking for the miracle play. That to me is someone who feels under pressure to have an exceptional game, rather than someone who trusts his usual game is still good enough for a place in the side.

Competition is good, but it can also cause issues.

Can't agree with this re Price. If thats all it takes for him to crumble where do we go from here? He was in the driving seat for the 9 shirt

It's not about him crumbling, its about supporting him when he's in. Price has come in and played exceptionally well in nearly all his appearances, and we were talking about him losing his place to a guy who has barely played rugby in a year and who's performances prior to that certainly weren't perfect. If that doesn't put undue pressure on Price to up his game beyond reasonable expectations, I don't know what does.

For me its clear Price has been superior to Laidlaw for at least the last year. It is up to Laidlaw to play so well in his bench appearances/club games that we have to replace Price. It is not up to Price to raise his game to a level even further above Laidlaw, when he is already exceeding his performances.

Berghan for WelchGilchrist for ToolisBack row not decidedLaidlaw in for PriceHarris on bench but replacment undecided as Dunbar has injured himself a bitMaitland for McGuigan

I do genuinely think that we may regret it if we put Laidlaw back in.

Did Welsh do much wrong?

Other changes - ok, fair enough. Back row really needs a bruiser in there though.

I think that the continued discussion of Laidlaw coming back in, especially from Gregor, is likely to have contributed (at least in part) to the poor game Price had on Saturday. He was constantly forcing it, playing everything that was on (and often not on), looking for the miracle play. That to me is someone who feels under pressure to have an exceptional game, rather than someone who trusts his usual game is still good enough for a place in the side.

Competition is good, but it can also cause issues.

Can't agree with this re Price. If thats all it takes for him to crumble where do we go from here? He was in the driving seat for the 9 shirt

It's not about him crumbling, its about supporting him when he's in. Price has come in and played exceptionally well in nearly all his appearances, and we were talking about him losing his place to a guy who has barely played rugby in a year and who's performances prior to that certainly weren't perfect. If that doesn't put undue pressure on Price to up his game beyond reasonable expectations, I don't know what does.

For me its clear Price has been superior to Laidlaw for at least the last year. It is up to Laidlaw to play so well in his bench appearances/club games that we have to replace Price. It is not up to Price to raise his game to a level even further above Laidlaw, when he is already exceeding his performances.

In two minds really. Nobody should take their place in the team for granted. That’s part of Russell’s problem just now. However, Price is just a better player than Laidlaw now, irrespective of what happened last week.

Laidlaw is capable of giving fast service if he chooses. I really hope Toony has made it clear he must do so.

Other than that - exactly as Slick said. Predictably, Wilson is brought into the back row (the only surprise was that he wasn’t starting last time - he must have incriminating photos). CdP right out of the match day squad - good. Good to see Dents back and Kinghorn in line for a debut. I can only assume our injury curse has contributed to Harris on the bench.

The point I'm trying to make isn't that his place should never be under threat, it's that it should only be under threat when a) he has a bad game and/or b) somebody else plays better than him. Given that prior to the Wales match neither of these were true, and he was being threatened with being replaced by someone who has equally had bad games and who hasn't been playing at all, I feel that may have put pressure on him to perform at an unrealistic level.

Anyway, it doesn't really matter. I agree with TOTM that Wilson in is unsurprising, and CdP out is a positive. It's a real shame though, I think we all feel that one of the key missing pieces of the Scotland jigsaw is a ball playing big man at 8. CdP has/had the tools to be that man, but just doesn't seem to be able to use them at the moment.

Delighted to see Kinghorn in. If we can move the French around enough through the first 60, he could cause chaos for the last 20. Having said that, the ridiculous defensive effort post-80 minutes last week vs the Irish showed the French fitness is actually pretty decent.

Other than Berghan happy with that. Personally I'd have gone for Denton over Wilson and Bennett over Harris.

Bennett would be my choice as well, especially as with Kinghorn in wouldn’t cover wing.

No surprise to see Laidlaw hate is back!(not directed at you OJ) one of the biggest complaints from sat was being headless chickens and Scotland’s best and most experienced calming influence comes back in, but somehow it is his fault Wee Ali played so badly!!

Townsend has made a rod for his back there. Price has by and large been a positive upgrade on Laidlaw in his time. If Laidlaw is pish on Sunday does he get dropped too?

Except that Laidlaw's strengths are exactly where Price showed unacceptable weakness last week.

Yes, Price is the future but this is a 5-week tournament that is the most important on the calendar bar the World Cup - he messed up, we have a proven guy who's pretty much incapable of messing up in that fashion and was the shirt holder before he got injured, and might provide the balance in the attacking play that was so badly exposed as missing in Cardiff.

Other than Berghan happy with that. Personally I'd have gone for Denton over Wilson and Bennett over Harris.

Bennett would be my choice as well, especially as with Kinghorn in wouldn’t cover wing.

No surprise to see Laidlaw hate is back!(not directed at you OJ) one of the biggest complaints from sat was being headless chickens and Scotland’s best and most experienced calming influence comes back in, but somehow it is his fault Wee Ali played so badly!!

Oh FFS, that's not what I said at all. If I was blaming anyone, which I wasn't, it was Townsend for the way he handled selection.

The point I'm trying to make isn't that his place should never be under threat, it's that it should only be under threat when a) he has a bad game and/or b) somebody else plays better than him.

Both points happened on Saturday.

And my point was that the pressure was put on him prior to Saturday. It's really not a complex point I'm making; prior to the game pressure was put on Price that was unfair because a) he had been playing well and b) Laidlaw had not been playing at all.

After the game, yeah fine, he should be dropped. I never argued otherwise. The point is that maybe he wouldn't have played so badly if that situation hadn't been created for no reason at all.

The point I'm trying to make isn't that his place should never be under threat, it's that it should only be under threat when a) he has a bad game and/or b) somebody else plays better than him.

Both points happened on Saturday.

And my point was that the pressure was put on him prior to Saturday. It's really not a complex point I'm making; prior to the game pressure was put on Price that was unfair because a) he had been playing well and b) Laidlaw had not been playing at all.

After the game, yeah fine, he should be dropped. I never argued otherwise. The point is that maybe he wouldn't have played so badly if that situation hadn't been created for no reason at all.

Jeez.

Their place should always be under pressure. If they're not mentally strong enough to cope with that they need to square themselves away.

The point I'm trying to make isn't that his place should never be under threat, it's that it should only be under threat when a) he has a bad game and/or b) somebody else plays better than him.

Both points happened on Saturday.

And my point was that the pressure was put on him prior to Saturday. It's really not a complex point I'm making; prior to the game pressure was put on Price that was unfair because a) he had been playing well and b) Laidlaw had not been playing at all.

After the game, yeah fine, he should be dropped. I never argued otherwise. The point is that maybe he wouldn't have played so badly if that situation hadn't been created for no reason at all.

Jeez.

Their place should always be under pressure. If they're not mentally strong enough to cope with that they need to square themselves away.

Gawd

Like when Matt Williams came in and told the players they were all shite? Aye, that was a hugely successful tactic.

Professional sportspeople aren't robots, they suffer the same anxieties and mental difficulties at work as anyone else. I have no idea why so many people think adding additional stresses to a player for no reason is acceptable. If your boss did it to you, you'd probably be pissed.

The point I'm trying to make isn't that his place should never be under threat, it's that it should only be under threat when a) he has a bad game and/or b) somebody else plays better than him.

Both points happened on Saturday.

And my point was that the pressure was put on him prior to Saturday. It's really not a complex point I'm making; prior to the game pressure was put on Price that was unfair because a) he had been playing well and b) Laidlaw had not been playing at all.

After the game, yeah fine, he should be dropped. I never argued otherwise. The point is that maybe he wouldn't have played so badly if that situation hadn't been created for no reason at all.

Jeez.

It's definitely not complex. I'm not sure what you want here, do you want the management to assure him he has his place whatever happens and tell the other 9's not to bother? Laidlaw is the ex captain who only lost his place, and captaincy, through injury, of course he is going to be there when he's fit. As I said before, if the thought of Laidlaw coming back made him crack, maybe he is not the guy. I don't believe that, but it's the obvious conclusion of your post.

The point I'm trying to make isn't that his place should never be under threat, it's that it should only be under threat when a) he has a bad game and/or b) somebody else plays better than him.

Both points happened on Saturday.

And my point was that the pressure was put on him prior to Saturday. It's really not a complex point I'm making; prior to the game pressure was put on Price that was unfair because a) he had been playing well and b) Laidlaw had not been playing at all.

After the game, yeah fine, he should be dropped. I never argued otherwise. The point is that maybe he wouldn't have played so badly if that situation hadn't been created for no reason at all.

Jeez.

Their place should always be under pressure. If they're not mentally strong enough to cope with that they need to square themselves away.

Gawd

Like when Matt Williams came in and told the players they were all shite? Aye, that was a hugely successful tactic.

Professional sportspeople aren't robots, they suffer the same anxieties and mental difficulties at work as anyone else. I have no idea why so many people think adding additional stresses to a player for no reason is acceptable. If your boss did it to you, you'd probably be pissed.

Anyway, it was a throwaway comment.

People potentially die if I crumble at work. I'd be expecting my boss pull me up if people started dying due to my inadequacies.

I don't know if I'm impressed with Townsend holding his hands up and saying "I got it wrong last week" or annoyed that he did, so badly. Even with hindsight, that looks a much better squad.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

First comment on the squad on Facebook: ‘Oh look! The team that should have played Wales!’

It’s not that I don’t like Laidlaw as a player. I do - or at least I used to. The trouble is that this has the potential to be another Dan Parks situation. Many of us were desperate to find an alternative to Laidlaw, because we had all these dangerous backs and they weren’t getting any service at all. It was like buying a Ferrari and then using it to tow a caravan. So we brought in someone else. Now they have had a nightmare, and we’re bringing back the first guy, who will doubtless play just the same way that drive us all nuts before.

I don't know if I'm impressed with Townsend holding his hands up and saying "I got it wrong last week" or annoyed that he did, so badly. Even with hindsight, that looks a much better squad.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

First comment on the squad on Facebook: ‘Oh look! The team that should have played Wales!’

It’s not that I don’t like Laidlaw as a player. I do - or at least I used to. The trouble is that this has the potential to be another Dan Parks situation. Many of us were desperate to find an alternative to Laidlaw, because we had all these dangerous backs and they weren’t getting any service at all. It was like buying a Ferrari and then using it to tow a caravan. So we brought in someone else. Now they have had a nightmare, and we’re bringing back the first guy, who will doubtless play just the same way that drive us all nuts before.

On reflection, the current situation reminds me of the period before the 2011 RWC. Back then Laidlaw was the form SH, but clearly behind Blair, Cusiter and Lawson in the queue. Now it's Horne who is the form player and can't get in the squad.

I don't know if I'm impressed with Townsend holding his hands up and saying "I got it wrong last week" or annoyed that he did, so badly. Even with hindsight, that looks a much better squad.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

First comment on the squad on Facebook: ‘Oh look! The team that should have played Wales!’

It’s not that I don’t like Laidlaw as a player. I do - or at least I used to. The trouble is that this has the potential to be another Dan Parks situation. Many of us were desperate to find an alternative to Laidlaw, because we had all these dangerous backs and they weren’t getting any service at all. It was like buying a Ferrari and then using it to tow a caravan. So we brought in someone else. Now they have had a nightmare, and we’re bringing back the first guy, who will doubtless play just the same way that drive us all nuts before.

But there are also quite a few upsides. His calmness, his leadership, taking pressure of Finn (kicks etc), everything we needed last week.

I completely understand why lots of people were a bit down on Laidlaw before, I'm just not one of them, I still think he brings more to a young team than he gives away.

According to this guy, he was at Murrayfield on Saturday and he noticed there was a sign up (i.e. a sign on a door for the purpose of finding the correct room) for an Edinburgh Investor Due Dilligence meeting in the hospitality suite. Perhaps the SRU have had some bites for their investment proposal?

Potentially they have a physical data room or are holding valuation meetings or similar?

I'd heard a rumour a wee while ago that the Skyscanner guy(s) were being heavily courted. Given the mega bucks they coined in they might be a good catch?

I heard that rumour too. At the time I thought it was more wishful thinking than anything else - I've never seen anything to add substance to the rumour. Given the number of extremely wealthy people in Edinburgh, I remain hopeful they'll find someone stupid committed enough to gift money to invest in Scottish club rugby.

It’s the extreme wealth bit that there isn’t as many out there as they will be looking at losing millions per year for shits and giggles. Be great if the Skyscanner dudes are daft enough to blow serious wedge on this.

Know Martin Gilbert had a look at a 3rd pro team and he ran away when he saw the numbers

Why is it financially impossible for the SRU to run a third team when Ireland and (especially) Wales manage to run four? Is it just spectator numbers? Or is there another reason?

Must help Leinster and Munster can fill out the aviva for big matches, but get healthy crowds at RDS, Thomond and Kingspan anyways. Always sad that even the 1872 is half full and Glasgow don't have a bigger ground dor bigger games.

Also the IRFU get more from sky TV broadcasting autumn and summer matches than we get from the been and our own YouTube channel? Definitely. You'd think they get more sponsorship money than us too.

Four clear regions helps. Aberdeen is apparently the obvious spot for a third pro team despite small playing numbers up there indicating there's not that much interest? Borders apparently unworkable but in his book Toonie makes the point who would support a team about to get cut? Same with Aberdeen who would support a team that is incapable of competing? Because the standard of players at first would essentially be the Scotland club XV and some journeymen.

All the Irish teams have a strong local link historically and through the academy graduates. Which the third pro team wouldn't have.

Crowds would be the biggest issue. Why would anyone show up to support a crap team in the freezing cold falling down Pittodrie? They don't show up to Edinburgh which had a much larger rugby base and Glasgow only found a fan base when they were winning.

Townsend has made a rod for his back there. Price has by and large been a positive upgrade on Laidlaw in his time. If Laidlaw is pish on Sunday does he get dropped too?

Except that Laidlaw's strengths are exactly where Price showed unacceptable weakness last week.

Yes, Price is the future but this is a 5-week tournament that is the most important on the calendar bar the World Cup - he messed up, we have a proven guy who's pretty much incapable of messing up in that fashion and was the shirt holder before he got injured, and might provide the balance in the attacking play that was so badly exposed as missing in Cardiff.

He was on the way to losing the shirt to Price before his injury imo. Price was poor last week, but to immediately bin him when he's been good since he became the starter, during which we have a good record, is very harsh imo.

Townsend has made a rod for his back there. Price has by and large been a positive upgrade on Laidlaw in his time. If Laidlaw is pish on Sunday does he get dropped too?

Except that Laidlaw's strengths are exactly where Price showed unacceptable weakness last week.

Yes, Price is the future but this is a 5-week tournament that is the most important on the calendar bar the World Cup - he messed up, we have a proven guy who's pretty much incapable of messing up in that fashion and was the shirt holder before he got injured, and might provide the balance in the attacking play that was so badly exposed as missing in Cardiff.

He was on the way to losing the shirt to Price before his injury imo. Price was poor last week, but to immediately bin him when he's been good since he became the starter, during which we have a good record, is very harsh imo.

I very much doubt it.

Apart from being the captain and kicker, Laidlaw, despite what all the gainsayers would have you believe, can play a fast game. Laidlaw does not have the running threat Price has, but he does make breaks. He can change his game according to what the coach wants, and what's in front of him in a way Price has shown little sign of being able to do. At his best, Price is probably better at a fast game, but that is all he gives you. If the opposition do not co-operate and let him play fast, he loses massive amounts of effectiveness. Laidlaw on the other hand just changes his style to suit what is in front of him. But Price has not been at his best for a while for Glasgow, so last week was not exactly an aberration.

Townsend has made a rod for his back there. Price has by and large been a positive upgrade on Laidlaw in his time. If Laidlaw is pish on Sunday does he get dropped too?

Except that Laidlaw's strengths are exactly where Price showed unacceptable weakness last week.

Yes, Price is the future but this is a 5-week tournament that is the most important on the calendar bar the World Cup - he messed up, we have a proven guy who's pretty much incapable of messing up in that fashion and was the shirt holder before he got injured, and might provide the balance in the attacking play that was so badly exposed as missing in Cardiff.

He was on the way to losing the shirt to Price before his injury imo. Price was poor last week, but to immediately bin him when he's been good since he became the starter, during which we have a good record, is very harsh imo.

I very much doubt it.

Apart from being the captain and kicker, Laidlaw, despite what all the gainsayers would have you believe, can play a fast game. Laidlaw does not have the running threat Price has, but he does make breaks. He can change his game according to what the coach wants, and what's in front of him in a way Price has shown little sign of being able to do. At his best, Price is probably better at a fast game, but that is all he gives you. If the opposition do not co-operate and let him play fast, he loses massive amounts of effectiveness. Laidlaw on the other hand just changes his style to suit what is in front of him. But Price has not been at his best for a while for Glasgow, so last week was not exactly an aberration.

I've always maintained* he's been told to play as he does.

*Ok maybe more hoped seeing as I've got Fvck all evidence to back up my assertion.